The delegates tightened aspects of the 1980 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material to match "the current level of the threats posed by nuclear terrorism," according to the chairman of the Vienna conference, Alec Blair.

The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, said the strengthening of the convention would lead to greater security by "combating, preventing and ultimately punishing those would would engage in nuclear theft, sabotage or even terrorism."

The amended convention will make it "legally binding" on states to protect all nuclear facilities and materials, whether in use, storage or transport.

The original convention dealt with fissile materials only during international transportation.

The communique said the amended agreement would "provide for expanded cooperation between and among states regarding rapid measures to locate and recover stolen or smuggled nuclear material, mitigate any radiological consequences of sabotage, prevent and combat related offenses."

Of the 112 countries that signed the original convention, two thirds will have to ratify the revision before it can come into effect, and that could take several years.

However, Anita Nilsson, director of the IAEA office of nuclear security, said the agency already is helping several countries put into effect the kind of safety measures called for in the upgraded convention.

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